The present invention relates to a personal computer, or other similar electronic apparatus, having an improved diagnostic interface.
Personal computers are being used in an increasing number of applications. Whilst improvements are continually being made in the user interfaces of personal computers in order to make them usable by a wider cross section of the population, personal computer systems themselves have also greatly increased in their internal complexity so that today most users are unfamiliar with the internal design and configuration of the computers that they use. In consequence, when a computer fails to operate in the manner expected, the user is often unable to determine the source of the problem or how to resolve it.
Various means are provided to enable the user to try to resolve problems they encounter, for instance diagnostic programs, helpfiles and manuals may be supplied by the computer manufacturer. In addition, current PCs are typically equipped with some form of internal diagnostics, the purpose of which is to detect and isolate component faults within the PC architecture.
Diagnostic code can be embedded in solid state, non volatile memory within the computer. Thus, read-only memory (xe2x80x9cROMxe2x80x9d), for instance, has been employed to store diagnostic code as firmware. One type of embedded diagnostics is power-on self-test (xe2x80x9cPOSTxe2x80x9d) diagnostics, generally stored in basic input-output system (xe2x80x9cBIOSxe2x80x9d) ROM in PCs. POST is a series of tests that the computer performs on its components each time the computer is turned on. POST begins by reading system configuration information that has either been hard-wired or stored in non-volatile memory. It then checks random access memory (xe2x80x9cRAMxe2x80x9d) by writing to and reading from the RAM to ensure proper operation. POST next examines he disk drives to confirm that they match the system configuration information. Lastly, POST initiates the loading of the operating system, xe2x80x9cbootingxe2x80x9d the computer. Failure during execution of
POST indicates presence of a fault within the computer. However, POST does not always provide a clear indication of the specific nature of the fault. Instead, the user must run diagnostic software to further isolate the fault.
Some high end personal computer systems, in particular the Hewlett-Packard Kayak range of PC workstations having the Maxilife features, include an integrated diagnostic microprocessor that is linked to its own display and keypad. The display allows diagnostic messages to be displayed to the user. The integrated microprocessor is powered through the standby power supply of the PC, which delivers power whenever the power cord is connected to a grounded power outlet. However, the inclusion of a separate microprocessor, together with its own user interface, adds a significant cost to the computer as a whole.
Moreover, much of the information contained within the diagnostic programs and manuals is often beyond the understanding of the average user and therefore when faced with a problem, the user may need to or may prefer to call the computer manufacturer""s customer service line or help desk in order to obtain technical help.
This generally entails making a telephone call and speaking to a help desk representative who will attempt to determine the nature of the problem based on information provided by the user.
This process is often slow and unsatisfactory. The amount of time required for the user to accurately describe the problem to the help desk representative is often considerable. It is also frequently plagued by inaccurate instructions being conveyed to the user over the phone.
For some complex problems, the help desk representative may need to collect some information as to the system configuration. It is not possible to dictate a full log file over the phone, so often the user is asked to transmit these data over email or fax and to call back later. On the second call it is difficult to establish a link between the call and the email or fax received especially when it is necessary to transfer the call through an automatic routing system
To compound the communication difficulties described above, diagnostic routines are often invoked when components in the computer are not completely functional and so the diagnostics may not execute or interact properly with the computer or with the user.
Various means have been used and proposed to try to speed up or automate this remote diagnostic process.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,667 proposes a method for performing remote diagnostic tests on a personal computer system in which a user calls the customer service help desk. Based on the user""s explanation of the problem, a representative builds a file including diagnostic tests. The help desk representative then instructs-the user, upon completion of the telephone call, to insert a diagnostic disk, supplied to the user upon purchase of the computer, into the computer and initiate a program which places the user computers modem in an auto answer mode.
An application dials the user""s modem number, which is in the case file, and establishes communications with the user""s system to download programs to the user""s computer. These programs are then executed and the computer transmits the results back to the service center for the problem to be diagnosed. The representative then calls the user, discusses the test results and makes specific recommendations to address the user""s problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,828 proposes a telephonic customer support utility for providing diagnostic support of a customer computer including encoding an operational status of a customer""s computer to produce audible tones on a speaker corresponding to the encoded status for transmission on a standard telephone line via a standard telephone of the encoded operational status to a remote support computer, the remote support computer having a receiver electrically connected to receive the tones transmitted on the telephone line. The received tones are decoded by a decoder of the remote support computer to determine the operational status of the customer""s computer, which status is displayed on a display of the remote support computer for analysis by a customer support technicians.
However, this system requires the computer to boot correctly and be substantially fully operational before the audible tones can be generated.
Whilst these known systems no doubt ease matters in some ways, a system and method is still needed for allowing remote diagnosis of PCs, even those suffering non-bootable faults, by a remote technician, preferably in a single telephone call.
Since personal computers are relatively low cost items, such a diagnostic system should require as few PC modifications or additions as possible in accomplishing the above, so as to minimise cost and parts count.
This invention is directed to improving the diagnostic interface of, for instance, a personal computer to meet the above needs.
In brief, this is achieved by electronic apparatus comprising: main operative functionality and a power provisioning system for powering the apparatus from an external power source, the power provisioning system comprising: a main power supply output for energising the main operative functionality of the apparatus when said power provisioning system is connected to said external power source, and a standby power source for energising a subset of the components of the apparatus when said main power supply output is not energised. The apparatus is provided with a self contained subsystem including a memory for storing at least one parameter reflecting an internal state of the apparatus, said self contained subsystem being powered by said standby power source and including an encoder for encoding the parameters in an output signal and a transducer for generating a wireless transmission from the output signal, which transmission can be detected in the vicinity of the apparatus so as to enable the parameter to be received and decoded.
The parameter can be encoded within the transmission in a form that does not allow a human to understand the parameter directly from the transmission.
The apparatus is thus provided with an i/o interface that can operate independently of all the other components of the apparatus. In consequence, this i/o interface can be used, in the event of a fault, to output parameters, such as a serial number.
Whilst some complex parameters such as the serial number need to be automatically decoded some parameters, for instance a code enabling a failing unit of the computer to be identified, can be encoded in the transmission in a form that is understandable to a human. In this ways these parameters can be identified, even if no automatic decoder is available.
The invention finds particular application in a personal computer or other similar information appliance, the main operative functionality including in that case a processor and data storage means interconnected by a bus system.
In at least a preferred embodiment, the transducer is a speaker and the wireless transmissions are sounds including in-band encoded signals, suitably using frequency shift keying and including an embedded synchronisation pattern. In apparatus such as a personal computer, that includes an audio subsystem, the speaker normally used for generating sounds for human perception can be used to generate the transmissions. Although the use of sound for the transmissions provides certain advantages to be described in more detail below, the use of other kinds of wireless transmission such as infra-red radiation or radio waves is not excluded.
If sound is used for the transmissions, the sounds can be transmitted over the telephone network in a manner similar to that proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,828 and the decoding of the transmission can take place remotely from the user. The invention therefore enables the provision of an arrangement for providing remote support services to a uses of the above described apparatus. The arrangement comprises: a telephone call handling system that provides at least one telephone number that the user can call to get advice from a human support agent; a decoder within the call handing system for decoding sounds generated by the computer and transmitted within a telephone call made by user so as to enable the computer to transmit the parameter to the call handling system for processing without requiring the user or any support agent to directly understand the parameter from the transmission.
The call handling system can be arranged to generate a database query from the parameter for retrieving diagnostic data for the computer for presentation to a support agent.
In a particularly preferred arrangement, the database query is transmitted over the internet to a database maintained separately from the call handling system. The database can be, for instance, maintained by or on behalf of the manufacturer of the computer and include all machines sold by that manufacturer. The call handling system can be maintained by a third party that is granted access to the database. This relieves the party offering the support services from the substantial burden of having to maintain the database.
The fact that, in event of a fault with the computer, a parameter can be transmitted from the computer, automatically decoded and the used as key to retrieve fuller information regarding the computer concerned from a centrally maintained database greatly facilitates the overall support process. With the above described arrangement, this can be achieved even if the main processing functionality of the computer is not operational.